Program Overview

Are you interested in Objectivism and intrigued by the work of the Ayn Rand Institute? Apply today to be a seasonal intern at ARI’s headquarters in Southern California. You’ll gain real-world professional experience working on a range of projects supporting the Institute, and engage in educational activities tailored to your knowledge of Rand’s ideas and your own research interests.

Fall, spring and summer internships (ten to fourteen weeks) at ARI are offered through a partnership with the Koch Internship Program (KIP) and Koch Fellow Programs (KFP) of the Charles Koch Institute. KIP and KFP connect aspiring interns with organizations that promote free societies, and provide additional professional training and networking opportunities that supplement the internship experience at ARI.

Program Experience

“The internship was a great way for me to experience what working in an intellectual career is like, while getting training from the world’s top experts on Objectivism.”

— Grant Parker (2016 summer intern)

Are you a college student or recent high school or college graduate? A seasonal internship at ARI is an ideal opportunity for you to develop your professional skills, resume and network, while studying Ayn Rand’s ideas.

You’ll work at the Ayn Rand Institute for 10 weeks (summer) or 14 weeks (fall and spring), gaining experience contributing to programs and projects matched to your interests. Additionally, you’ll engage in a course of study tailored to your familiarity with Rand’s writings and philosophy, and may participate in educational activities such as the student program at ARI’s annual Objectivist summer conference.

Through ARI’s partnership with the Koch Internship Program and Koch Fellow Programs, you’ll receive a stipend of up to $4,500 or $6,300, vastly expand your network of professional contacts and receive valuable career and intellectual training.

For reminders of application deadlines and other student updates
register here

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

ARI interns are placed within different departments according to their skills and work experience and are given challenging assignments that take advantage of their abilities. Interns may work on multiple projects during their time at ARI or focus deeply on one substantive project. But every intern is exposed to a range of functions central to the operation of a modern nonprofit organization, including policy research, event planning, marketing, donor relations, online video and course production, data analysis and others.

EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM

This professional experience is coupled with an individualized course of study tailored to the intern’s interests and experience with Objectivism and guided by ARI’s expert instructors. For example, an intern could choose to explore:

Objectivism as a system of philosophy, at an introductory or more advanced level

The characters, themes and literary aspects of Rand’s fiction

Rand’s views on liberty, including such topics as individual rights, government, free-market capitalism, law and the regulatory state

How Objectivism applies to crucial contemporary issues such as freedom of speech, environmentalism, religion, the welfare state or foreign policy.

Interns may also participate in other educational activities occurring during their internship. For instance, summer interns attend the weeklong Objectivist summer conference, while fall and spring interns may participate in any of numerous events taking place during the academic year, including public talks and student conferences.

KOCH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS PARTNERSHIP

Through partnership with the Koch Internship Program and Koch Fellow Programs, ARI interns benefit from additional career training and networking with other interns and nonprofit organizations. ARI interns connect weekly with the Charles Koch Institute and other interns for a web-based learning experience. Those in a Koch Fellow Program also participate in opening and closing seminars in Washington, DC.

The application process of the Koch programs is separate from ARI’s, and you must apply and be accepted to both programs. For those whom ARI is unable to accept, admission into the KIP/KFP program can lead to an internship at another organization.

Alumni

The summer internship gave me the philosophical literacy to discuss Objectivism’s core ideas and implications with classmates and professors.

Aldo Mayro

Rutgers University

I gained experience in a non-profit career while helping to promote Rand's ideas and networking with liberty-loving professionals from other organizations.

Carine Martinez

Charles Koch Foundation

The internship offered a brief glimpse into what it is like working at a non-profit, and ultimately led to employment with ARI.

Morgan Sands

Program Details

1. The internship is open to college undergraduates and recent high school and college graduates.

2. The program is designed for students at all levels of familiarity with Ayn Rand’s ideas and from from any academic discipline.

3. Applicants must be able to attend for the full duration of the program.

4. Applicants must have first applied the Koch Internship Program or one of the Koch Fellow Programs. ARI may accept an applicant on the condition that the applicant is accepted into KIP/KFP. In exceptional cases, ARI may accept an intern who does not participate in KIP/KFP.

5. Students must be 18 years or older at the start of the program to participate. Those who are under the age of 18 at the time of applying but who will be over the age of 18 when the program begins, must provide a letter signed by a parent or legal guardian granting consent to their application. The letter may be mailed, emailed or submitted as a PDF through our document submission manager.

6. Foreign applicants may apply. However, ARI is unable to sponsor visas for its internship program and is not able provide any advice about which—if any—visa an applicant may need to participate in the program. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to ensure that he/she has the proper visa—if any—to participate in the program.

7. ARI cannot and does not provide legal and/or tax advice regarding an applicant’s ability to accept and/or acceptance of any stipends or scholarships.

8. Completion of the internship does not guarantee or imply future employment with ARI. Interns are not employees of ARI and therefore are not eligible for benefits or rights granted to bona fide employees of ARI, including hourly wages.

Application Deadlines

Before applying to ARI’s internship, you must first apply to the Koch Internship Program or one of the Koch Fellow Programs. These programs accept applicants on a rolling basis, as does ARI. The Charles Koch Institute recommends you apply for their programs in the following periods. You may apply after these periods, but there is a greater chance you will be waitlisted or have fewer placement opportunities.

There are two separate applications to complete—ARI’s application and the application for the Koch Internship Program or one of the Koch Fellow Programs (Policy, Development or Communication).

KIP and KFP accept applicants on a rolling basis, so it is to your advantage to apply as soon as possible for a given season. We recommend you submit an ARI application while your application to KIP/KFP is pending, even though acceptance into ARI’s internship is contingent upon your acceptance into KIP/KFP.

Application Instructions

2. Use our document submission manager to submit your answers to the following essay prompts. Use page numbers and include your name in the header of each page.

a. Personal Statement:Why would you like to intern at the Ayn Rand Institute? Include a discussion of your interest in Objectivism and how the internship would advance your career goals. (400-word maximum)

b. Application Essay:In her lecture “Philosophy: Who Needs It,” available as a free course in ARI Campus and as an essay in her book, Philosophy: Who Needs It, Ayn Rand argues that philosophy is an inescapable need of man. Explain her view, contrasting it with the common cultural refrain “philosophy is impractical.” (400-word maximum)

Key Dates

Mar—Apr

Sep—Oct

Recommended application period for spring internship

Sep—Nov

Recommended application period for summer internship

FAQ

Who is eligible for an ARI internship?

Seasonal internships at ARI are open to college undergraduates and recent high school and college graduates. Applicants must be 18 years or older at the time the program begins, and must also apply to the Koch Internship Program or one of the Koch Fellow Programs. See the eligibility and restrictions section of the Program Details box for more information.

Why has ARI partnered with the Koch educational programs?

ARI has welcomed interns from KIP and KFP into its offices since 2014, and we have been impressed with the interns that have come to work with us and the quality of the training they receive through KIP/KFP. In exceptional cases, ARI may welcome an intern who is not a part of KIP/KFP. This is discouraged, however, as the KIP/KFP partnership offers significant additional benefits to the intern and to ARI.

What does the internship program cost?

There is no charge to participate in the program. On the contrary, each intern receives a stipend through the Koch Internship or Fellow Program of up to $4,500 (10-week summer program) or $6,300 (14-week fall or spring program) to assist with living and travel expenses. ARI may issue additional scholarships to interns to facilitate attendance at events such as the Objectivist summer conference.

Can I intern in the DC-area office?

ARI is currently not accepting interns in its DC-area office. The only option to intern at ARI is in our Southern California headquarters in Irvine.

How many interns participate?

The number of interns working at ARI in a given time varies according to the number of high-quality applicants and the work projects available in a given season. E.g., ARI had six interns in summer 2016, and three in fall 2016.

Where do the interns live during the program?

The internship does not include housing or transportation. We are happy to provide guidance about the area and answer questions, but ARI interns make their own arrangements. We put interns in touch with one another as soon as an internship cohort is finalized, should they desire to seek housing together. Interns may also choose to seek housing with their Koch Internship Program classmates who have been placed in other area organizations.

How do the interns get around during the program?

The internship does not include housing or transportation. For those in our Irvine, California, office, having a car (or carpooling with an intern who does) is recommended. For those without cars, there is bus service in Orange County with a stop outside our office, and it is possible to find housing within walking or biking distance to the office. On weekends, the Metrolink rail is a reliable option for traversing the Southern California coastline. Interns have also rented cars for weekend trips.

Is the program open to international applicants?

Yes. Foreign applicants are welcome and international students have interned with us. However, ARI is unable to sponsor visas for its internship program and is not able provide advice about which—if any—visa an applicant may need to participate in the program. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to ensure that he/she has the proper visa—if any—to participate.

How competitive is the program?

The program is highly competitive, as there may only be a handful of openings in a given season. However, because of our partnership with the Koch Internship and Fellow Program, those whom ARI is unable to accept may be able to find placement at other organizations which promote free societies.

I haven’t read much by Ayn Rand. Is this program for me?

Yes. The educational component is tailored to your knowledge level, and we are happy to develop a personalized curriculum for you to explore Rand’s works at an introductory level. That said, applicants have typically read at least one book by Ayn Rand, and should be familiar enough with her ideas and with ARI to explain their interest in interning with us.

I’ve read a lot by Ayn Rand. Is this program for me?

Yes. The educational component is tailored to your knowledge level, and we are happy to develop a personalized curriculum for you to deepen your understanding of Objectivism. Depending on how advanced you are and your career interest, you may also wish to consider ARI’s Objectivist Academic Center or the Junior Fellows Program. Current OAC students are eligible to intern with us.

ARI used to offer a three-week summer internship program. Does that still exist?

No, that program has been discontinued. ARI continually evaluates and adjusts its educational programming and in recent years we have placed a renewed emphasis on students at our annual weeklong summer conference known as OCON. The student program at OCON incorporates some of the educational elements of our old three-week internship program and includes scholarships and discounted pricing for students. Students interested in exploring Rand’s ideas in depth are encouraged to apply for a scholarship to OCON.